Portable electric lamp



L. E. SILLS.

PORTABLE- ELECTRIC LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED Nov,1e.192o.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

.llHll lI- I pew/1 74.. zmw/mg rmiWJ i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAURA n sums, or sea rnun'mmnnsora' PORTABLE ELECTRIC LAMP.

Application filed November To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I', LAUR -E. SILLs, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and btate of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful ,Portable Electric Lamp, of whiohthe following is a specification.

' This-invention relates to improvements in portable electric lamps, the primary object being to provide an improved structure whereby a lamp-fixture, made accordance with my improvement, can be easily and quickly adjusted to and in a stationary receptacle,.either in the wall ofa room or other support, or in a portable receptacle, thus enabling the lamp to be connectedwith its source of electric current at a number of places, as desired. .A further object is to provide a portable electric lamp which can be adjusted to any height desired in the receptacle with which it is separably connected. To these ends my invention comprises the features of construction and combination vof parts herein- Fig. 3 is a section after particularly described and claimed.

the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, F i re 1 is a side elevation of my invention s owing-the receptacle, which constitutes part of my invention, mounted in a wall Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the constructlon llustrated in- F ig,- '1 when thelampfixture is removed; taken on the line 33- of Fig. l;-Fig. 4 isa perspective view of the lamp fixture when it is removed from its receptacle,-'and Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the lamp fixture receptacle shown mounted on a portable base instead of a wall as shown in Fig. 1.

- in which My invention embodies a suitable receptacle A of oblong orany other suitable shape extending lengthwise in an upward direction and having a cover 10 secured to flanges thereon by meansof the screws 11 or any other suitable fastening means.

his receptacle contains a pair of insulators 12 and 13 secured opposite one another vertically along the side walls of the receptacle, position they are'clamped between the back wall and cover. These insulators support a pair of electricalconductors 14 and '15 along vertical slots 16 and 17, said conductors and slots serving to guide lamp fixture terminals up and down in the receptacle, be described below. The cover has a vertical slot 18 extending substanpart of the fixture Specification of Letters Patent. Patented vDec. 27 1921,

1.6, 1920. Serial in. 424,415.

position over the opening. The doorway and door can be at either end of the device within the spirit of my invention. The receptacle A can be secured in the wall 3 by the same screws 11 which fasten the cover on the body of the receptacle or the receptacle can be mounted on a portable stand 23, asshown in Fig. 5. In either case, the inleading electrical conducting wires 24 have their terminals connected with the conductors 14 and 15.

The lamp fixture C is adapted to cooperate with an number of receptacles A, either in the wall? or .walls of a room or upon a portable base 23. This fixture element comprises a tubular bracket 24, upon the outer end of which a lamp socket 25 is'mounted, said lamp socket being adapted to hold a lamp globe 26 and lamp shade in the usual manner and projecting in any desired direction. The inner end of the bracket is adapted to slide through the slot 18 in the front of ,thereceptacle where it is held from outward or inward movement by the bracket base block 27, which is preferably made out of insulating material. This base block carries a pair of oppositely disposed brush.

27. The conductors 14 and 15 terminate .at

the doorway so that contact of the brushes 28. and 29 with said conductors is broken when the fixture enters the doorway. Ex' pansion coil springs 34 and 35- around the rods, serve to press the brush supports outwardly .with their brush contact members pressing ti htly against the conductors .14 and 15. he. inner ends of the rods are bent forwardly and project through an openin 36 in the block sufliciently to extend outwar I lamp fixture is adjusted in the receptacle. The outward extremities of the rods are formed with thumb and 'finger engaging y through the 1 slot 18 when the pieces 37 and 38 pivoted together at 4:1, by which the contact pieces on the block can be contracted to facilitate adjusting the contact members in the track grooves with the contact pieces 28 and 29 against the conductors 14 and 15. The lamp socket is connected with the terminal pieces 28 and 29 in the usual manner by means of the conducting wires 39 and 10. By the construction described, the terminal pieces 28 and 29 are thoroughly insulated from the bracket tube and the-actuating members 37 and 38. The sides of the slot 18 are formed with broad bearing surfaces by flanges 41 and 4:2 so that the bracket will slide more smoothly and with less binding tendency.

In use, the lamp fixture element can be adjusted to a receptacle by opening the door 20 and inserting the block into the end so opened. The actuating elements are then contracted by pressing the pieces 37 and 38 inwardly, whereupon the fixture is raised with the terminal elements 28 and 29 into sliding contact with the conductors 16 and 17. In this position, the pieces 37 and 38 are released and the fixture can be raised or lowered by a sliding mdvement While the electrical connection with the lamp is maintained. After, inserting the block, as stated, the door 20 is closedand fastened- The fix ture can be easily adjusted vertically when desired, or removed from a receptacle and adjusted to any other receptacle of similar construction.

In accordance with the patent statutes, l[ have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but v.ll desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above setforth within the scope ofthe following 45 claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A portable electric element, comprising in combination, a receptacle containing a pair of electrical conductors insulated there oreno from and in substantially parallel arrangement therein, said receptacle having an upwardly extending slot in its side and having a doorway at one end connecting with said slot and a movable electrical device havinga pair of brush contacts, said device being adapted to pass through said doorway into said slot and being slidably supported in said receptacle through said slot, said brush contacts being adapted to slidably and separably connect with said conductors.

2. A portable electric element, comprising in combination, a receptacle having a pair of electrical conductors in parallel arrangement therein, a slot in its side extending upwardly and a reception space in one portion connecting with said slot, and a movable electrical device having a pair of resili-- ently supported brush contact elements and formed with a guide, said device being adapted to enter said receptacle through said reception space and slot with said guide engaging the receptacle to assist in supporting the device thereon and being slidable in said slot to be selectively positioned onsaid receptacle and said brush contact elements being adapted to movably contact with said conductors when the device is adjusted in said receptacle.

3. A portable electrical element, comprising in combination, a receptacle having a slot in one f its walls and a doorway connecting w' h said slot, an insulating block held in said receptacle insliding contact therewith to be guided and haviiig a lamp supporting element rojecting outwardly through said slot, a pairof electrical conductors held in said receptacle on opposite sides thereof, and a pair of resiliently supported brush contact elements movably held upon said block, adapted to be urged apart in sliding contact with said conductors and.

having retracting elements projecting outwardly through said slot to withdraw the brush elements away from the conductors and facilitate adjusting the block and associated pants to theoreceptacle.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

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